Students learn they have better things to do than drugs

The spirit of Christmas doesn’t have to end Dec. 25. Champions for a Drug Free Carroll County sponsors two clubs for students, and we are learning that we definitely have better things to do than drugs. One if them is doing good deeds for others.

Students in the Junior Champions Club at The Lighthouse and the Champs Club at the high school worked for more than a month to make fleece pillows and paint beautiful picture frames for residents at Green Valley Nursing Home. We delivered these gifts to residents on Dec. 18. The visit, however, became the real gift for all of us.

We know drug-related issues surround all of us and flood our lives with an abundance of problems.

Unfortunately, some students know this much more than many adults reading this. One goal of our student clubs is to teach students that there are so many positive things to do with their time. We also teach them to be considerate and think of others; to do for others, not just at Christmas, but all year long.

I told our students that I wanted the people in our community to know that there are caring and kind students — thoughtful and considerate ones who take time from their social lives, (which is pretty important to teenagers) to make someone else’s day a little brighter.

Every student in both clubs gladly accepted the invitation and poured heart and soul into these gifts for Green Valley residents.

I will let their words explain the rest.

“It was sweet going to see the elderly people. It’s nice to share the joy we have. Champs is a wonderful program and I’m glad to be in it,” ninth-grader Alexus Lee Daneault said.

“It felt good to take time out of my day to help people out and to make pillows to take to the nursing home. I was happy to see their faces light up,” ninth-grader Jetta Quintero said.

“This activity made me feel happy because when you get to see all their happy faces, it’s so enjoying,” fifth-grader Francis Gibbs said.

“It was so joyfully to see all of the smiling faces when we gave them our presents we made,” fourth-grader Dalton Litz said.

“It was fun and sweet to go see the elderly people. The looks on their face when we gave them their pillows was great. I’m glad I got to experience this,” ninth-grader Dailee Sanders said.

“We are sharing our time with the Green Valley people because they are like us. They have toys and baby dolls and cars. So what we did is made pillows for them and that made them happy,” fifth-grader Kalynn Bright said.

“I felt happy and sad for the hurt people,” fourth-grader Cloie Poe said.

“It was very moving. I had a lot of fun and I’m not scared of elderly people anymore,” ninth-grader Tanya Danner said.

“It feels nice to give stuff that we made and not keep all of it,” fourth-grader Cheyenne Hicks said.

“This felt good because we put in time to make these pillows for the Green Valley members so they could enjoy the feeling of Christmas Joy in their lives. Therefore we make people happy on the inside so they can stay strong with their lives,” ninth-grader Austin Rose said.

“I thought it was a good experience to give pillows that we made and take them to Green Valley and get to personally give them to the people who live there,” ninth-grader Ethan Jones said.

“It was very inspiring to get to take the time out of my day to give people something for Christmas,”ninth-grader Breanna Carter said.

“It felt great to see the smiles on the people’s faces. I want to do this again! It’s like getting what you always wanted,” fourth-grader Taylor Drennen said.

“Now that we have gone to Green Valley and gave them presents, it makes me want to do more things for people,”sixth-grader Mikayla Frazier said.

Our discussion at the end of the day sparked a lot more ways of giving back to our community.  We have so much more to do than drugs. Just wait and see what we come up with next.

Misty Wheeler is coordinator of Champions for a Drug Free Carroll County.